


sweet tooth

by treztine



Series: merciless strength and unbending resolve [3]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Declarations Of Love, Established Relationship, F/F, Flower Crowns, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Romantic Gestures, Specific Warrior of Light, Tea Parties
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-16
Updated: 2018-01-22
Packaged: 2019-02-27 05:55:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13241868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/treztine/pseuds/treztine
Summary: The Warrior of Light is treated to a long overdue feast of tarts and tea with her fellow Scions and spends some unexpected free time with her...dearest friend? Sweetheart?Lover?She'd never been the best with words...Just some sweet fluff involving tea parties and flower crowns.





	1. sea legs

Poppy never really liked the sea. She'd been born among the sands of Dry Bone and hadn't even seen the sea until she began adventuring in earnest. One of her first forays into the water had been a half-baked plan to defeat the primal Leviathan that left her soaked to the bone and nearly dead. Her journey to Kugane was a bit less eventful – if one didn't consider getting ambushed by murderous monsters _eventful_ – but the dreadful rocking of the boat had her emptying her stomach over the railing more times than she was willing to admit.

Yet there she was, gladly riding a ferry from Aleport to Limsa when she could have easily traveled via the aetheryte. Something about the brilliant blue of the sky and the gentleness of the waves that lapped against the dock had enticed her to board the small vessel.

Poppy tossed the skipper his coin and sat on one of the ferry's narrow seats. It was a modest boat worn with age, having likely traveled the same patch of sea hundreds if not a thousand times before. As the ferry slowly moved away from the dock, Poppy admired how sun glinted off the distant tides and then realized something - she felt nostalgic for the Ruby Sea.

Poppy sighed wistfully as she stretched out across wooden plank that was her seat. She caused the boat to rock slightly as she shifted and earned a raised brow from the skipper, but paid him no mind as she placed her knapsack beneath her head to use as a makeshift pillow. She gazed up at the wisps of pure white cloud that dotted the sky and was pleasantly surprised when the gentle rocking of the boat lulled her rather than made her sick. Perhaps she'd earned her sea legs after all.

The Warrior nearly dozed off as she reveled in the fonder memories she'd made during her time at the Ruby Sea. Just like anywhere else on Hydaelyn, the area had been full of political turmoil and deadly beasts, but only flashes of peaceful moments played across the backs of her eyelids then. Flying low over the sea with her bird and feeling the salty spray against her legs. Discovering the Raen village hidden deep beneath the waves. Lyse trying (and failing) to teach her how to swim. The tribe of friendly blue Kojin bestowing their blessing on her, Lyse, and Alisaie.

 _Alisaie_.

Poppy's eyes fluttered open and a thrill of excitement passed through her when she thought about the very reason she was making her way to Limsa. She reached into the knapsack beneath her head and rummaged through its contents until her fingertips brushed against the cover of her journal, which she promptly pulled out. It was a small thing bound in red leather that was given to her by Alisaie to practice her penmanship in. According to Alisaie, her handwriting was, _"...so illegible that it made chocobo scratch look like the finest cursive of an Ishgardian noble."_

Poppy lifted the journal an arm’s length above her head, finding that it did wonders in blocking the sun from hitting her eyes. She began to thumb through the pages and wry smile curled her lips when she realized that her writing did, in fact, get neater the further she got into the journal. She was loathe to ever admit that to Alisaie, of course.

The pages contained scrawling descriptions of what she'd been up to for the last moon or so. Most entries were brief and didn't span more than a few sentences, but Poppy had never really been the best with words. Each bit of text was written erratically and at odd angles – sometimes even upside down – as she usually sat in dimly lit inn rooms when she wrote and often drifted off to sleep with a pen still in her hand. But she had no interest in rereading her memories and instead flipped to a more recent entry. Large letters joined by messy splotches of ink covered the otherwise sparse page and spelled out a note written to herself:

 

_Tarts/tea with Ali + girls_

_one bell   Past ~~miday~~ midday , Limsa_

_relax !!_

 

Poppy closed the journal and cradled it against her chest, sighing as she blinked against the sunlight that hit her eyes. Relaxation of any kind was a rare commodity in the days following Ala Mhigo's liberation. She'd been pulled all over Hydaelyn and traveled between Rhalgr's Reach, the Far East, and all of Eorzea often in the span of just a few suns. Traveling the world over only meant that there were more people who needed the Warrior's help.

She felt herself frown, but shook her head as if that would make the thoughts of responsibility somehow fly out of her ears. No, she needed this. She needed a day of peace spent with good friends. She hadn't seen Alisaie in nearly a moon and missed her sorely. Surely the world wouldn't fall apart if the Warrior of Light took one afternoon off.

"We're fast approachin' Limsa, lass," the skipper called out to her.

Poppy shot up from her seat and spun around to lean over the railing of the boat, causing it to rock again and the skipper to shoot her a brief glare. She ignored him and watched as Limsa Lominsa towered proudly in the distance, glistening white and silver among the blue waves surrounding her. Poppy rested her head on her folded arms and eagerly awaited their arrival.

As she peered over the railing into the sea below, she found that her mind returned to the dear friend who she was overjoyed to see again. She met the gaze of her own reflection that mirrored the smile she wore and very briefly wondered if their meeting could be considered a date. No, she thought, since Lyse would be there and it was likely some of the others would be too. Still, the thought made her wonder if she was dressed properly for the occasion. She sat up to straighten her jacket and consider her attire. It was the set of traveling clothes that Tataru had so lovingly crafted and dyed Poppy's favorite shade of petal pink. It was nice enough, she reasoned. There was no need to be overly formal. She was just having some tea with friends. And yet...

Poppy leaned back over the railing and dipped her hand into the water. She touched her reflection to distort it and erase the furrowed brow she saw beneath the ripples she created with her fingers. She was overthinking things, which was unlike her. The Warrior let out an amused huff at her own silliness and pushed the nervous thoughts to the back of her mind. It was strange, the things love did to people.

She glanced upward to judge the time and was surprised to see that the sun was a bit further past its halfway point than she anticipated. It seemed that her leisurely trip across the sea had made her late. Poppy grinned to herself and wondered how cross Alisaie would be with her when she finally showed up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey nyall here i am back at it again with my two favorite girls. i've had the idea for this fic since last summer so i finally sat down and wrote it. i just really wanted to write something super self indulgent, cute, and fluffy. so here we are!
> 
> this ended up being almost 7k words long so i decided to split it up into more manageable chapters so it's easier to edit and read. i should have the next part up in a couple days!


	2. tarts and tea

The cafe was easy enough to find. Alisaie told her the name the last time they spoke over their linkpearl and Poppy remembered passing it by many times during her trips to Limsa. She made her way to the upper decks and found it tucked in a quaint little corner of the Aftcastle that had a lovely view of the Rhotano Sea. It was quite crowded despite being out of the way and Poppy hoped that meant the sweets would be as tasty as she imagined.

As soon as she stepped onto the terrace, Lyse spotted her and began to wave frantically to get her attention. Poppy made a beeline for the table where her friends and fellow Scions were seated and was delighted to see the three women who beamed back at her.

"There you are!" Lyse exclaimed from her seat between the other two. "We were starting to worry you wouldn't show."

Y'shtola tsked beside her at the head of the table. "Now, now," she chided, resting her chin atop her folded hands. The other Miqo'te regarded Poppy with a warm smile and a flick of her tail. "Our dear Warrior is a busy woman. She still made it, did she not?"

"She most certainly did," said Alisaie who sat opposite of Y'shtola. Poppy's eyes were drawn to her instantly and she was rewarded with a smile as sweet as the tarts and pastries laid out before her. To Poppy's surprise, she didn't really look all that cross. "Though you are over a bell late. Perhaps you can regale us with a tale of the exploits that caused your delay." Ah, there it was. Alisaie's demeanor remained sweet, but her smile turned into more of a smirk as she addressed the Warrior.

"Pray do not antagonize her, Alisaie," Y'shotla said, sounding droll. She lifted her teacup to her lips and peered over its edge, shifting her sightless gaze across the table. "You have awaited your hero's arrival with bated breath for the better part of the afternoon. Are you not pleased to see her?" Y'shtola's eyes almost seemed to sparkle with mischief as she took a well-timed sip of her tea to hide the smile that crept across her face. Lyse giggled quietly beside her as her eyes flitted between the two of them.

Alisaie shot a pointed look back at Y'shtola. "Of course I am," she replied as she glanced over at Poppy, looking embarrassed suddenly. "Though _bated breath_ is a bit of an exaggeration."

Poppy was a bit stunned to hear the other Miqo'te tease her companion so openly. It made her wonder if something had transpired before she arrived. Before an argument could escalate, Poppy cut in with a hearty laugh.

"To be fair, I was pretty tied up earlier," she said as she pulled out the chair opposite Lyse and sat next to Alisaie. "Killing monsters, helping orphans. Typical Warrior of Light fare." Poppy folded her hands neatly in her lap and flashed a broad smile at her companions. She briefly considered mentioning her long ferry ride as well, but knew she wouldn't hear the end of it if she did.

Lyse took a long swig from a glass filled with tasty looking lemonade and then humored the Warrior with a laugh. "That's our Poppy! Never a dull moment."

Y'shtola simply smiled and took another sip of her tea while Alisaie gave a short, almost defeated sounding sigh. "I should have known you were off being heroic somewhere," she said wryly, but looked over at Poppy and offered her an apologetic smile. "No rest for the righteous, as they say."

There was truth in what Poppy had said. Earlier that day, she'd been at Rhalgr's Reach helping M'naago aid the orphans and widows left after the war. And since she happened to be passing through, she went off to kill some notorious beasts that'd been plaguing the coasts near Aleport. Yet guilt still nipped at her for taking the afternoon off and for being tardy.

"I really am sorry for being so late," she said, fidgeting her fingers in her lap as if that would ease the guilt. She looked between her three companions with her ears folded back against her head.

Y'shtola tsked again, though Poppy was the target of her gentle reprimand that time. "There is no need to apologize," she said to the Warrior. "Now that you're here, why don't we order more of...well, everything?"

Poppy's eyes scanned the table hungrily and saw plate upon plate of half eaten treats and nearly empty tea cups. She felt disappointed suddenly that she'd missed out on sampling it all. When both she and Lyse nodded enthusiastically in agreement, Y'shtola set down her tea and waved over the first waitress whose attention she could catch amidst the crowded terrace.

As Y'shtola placed their order and Lyse interjected in the middle with a request for more lemonade, Poppy felt fingers brush against her hand beneath the table. She looked over at Alisaie who smiled and wrapped her fingers around Poppy's to give her hand a gentle squeeze.

"Thank you for coming," she said quietly as she dragged her thumb across Poppy's knuckles.

"I wouldn't miss this for the world," she replied in a hushed tone and squeezed Alisaie's hand in return.

Poppy felt her heart race when she saw how Alisaie looked at her from beneath soft, snowy lashes, so joyful and relieved. The realization of how much she'd missed her hit Poppy all at once. Spending a moon apart from her dearest had proven to be a difficult task.

If Lyse and Y'shtola had noticed the Warrior's loving, heartsick gaze, they were doing a fine job at politely ignoring it. It seemed more likely that they were both distracted by the approaching waitress who carried a tray of fresh treats.

The four woman couldn't help the appreciative _oohs_ and _ahs_ they uttered when the new plates piled high with sugary confections were placed on the table. There were croissants stuffed with almond paste, drizzled with chocolate, and topped with toasted slivers of almond. There was a parchment lined basket filled with fried puffs of dough rolled in sugar and oozing jam. Another plate was covered in petite dollops of meringue colored a faint petal pink. There were also cookies dusted with snowy sugar and cut into heart shapes, as well as several fruit tarts filled with fresh berries. A new pot of tea was placed in the center of the table along with Lyse's lemonade and a pretty pink rolanberry lassi that Poppy realized Y'shtola must have ordered for her.

The Warrior felt her mouth water as she rubbed her hands together in anticipation. Before she could go mad trying to decide what to sample first, Lyse lifted her glass of lemonade

"A toast!" she exclaimed. "To Alisaie's amazing taste in cafes and to Ala Mhigo's liberation!"

Y'shtola chuckled beside her as she lifted her teacup. "To the Scions' recent victories and continued success in our future."

Alisaie's teacup was the next to rise. "To a peaceful Eorzea and beyond," she added and flashed a tiny smile in Poppy's direction.

Poppy lifted her lassi high above the delicious spread before her. "To spending time with good friends," she said, feeling almost teary as she grinned at her companions. "And to eating sweets!"

With that, they all laughed and touched their glasses together with a satisfying _clink_. The four women then tore into their feast with unrestrained enthusiasm.

Poppy quickly loaded up her plate with a sample of everything she could get her hands on, which was, well, one of _everything_ on the table. The meringues were her favorite, she decided. They melted on the tongue like sugary wisps of cloud that were, to her delight, flavored faintly with rose. The doughnuts were divine as well. They were crisp but pillowy on the inside and filled with raspberry jam. The croissant was decadent and chocolatey and the almonds were so satisfyingly crunchy. The tart was topped with the most delicious, juicy blackberries and had a refreshing flavor of mint running through it. And of course, her rolanberry lassi was savored until the last sweet drop.

Her hands were sticky and her face was coated in a layer of sugar, but Gods, was she happy and so unbelievably full. Rather, she _was_ full until she glanced over at a plate near Alisaie and saw a single cookie. A cookie which, she realized, was the only thing she hadn't tried yet and, of course, happened to be the last one left on the table.

Alisaie seemed preoccupied as she listened to Lyse tell a tale of an unfortunate man and a goobbue. Seeing her opportunity, Poppy reached towards the plate with as much discretion as she could muster. Before she could claim her prize, Alisaie gave her hand a smack so quick that the Warrior yelped in surprise.

"It's mine," Alisaie warned. She sounded pleasant enough and looked benign, but the sharpness of her eyes was enough to cut through flesh.

Poppy ignored the daggers being stared at her to instead gaze longingly at the cookie. "But I haven't tried one yet!" She pouted and flipped her ears sideways to look as pitiful as possible. When Alisaie didn't relent, she went on boldly, fueled by sugar and her love of bickering. "Besides, you ate almost all of them on your own."

Lyse paused her story at that point. Both she and Y'shtola hushed as they eyed the other women, perhaps curious to see what would happen when two unstoppable forces collided.

"Must you eat from my plate?"

"It being within an arm's reach doesn't make it yours!"

"I ordered them. That makes them _mine_."

"Last I checked, _Y'shtola_ ordered them."

The pair went silent for a moment before Poppy grinned. "'Shtola," she said almost sing-song without even looking at the other Miqo'te. "Ali won't share!"

When the Warrior glanced over at her companion, she saw Y'shtola look up at the sky as if silently asking the Twelve for strength. "Now, now, children," she played along with Poppy's antics, chiding them both. "I would say Poppy has earned it, having recently liberated two nations and felled three more primals." She spoke with all the gravity of an extremely patient older sister and regarded the Warrior with a long-suffering sigh when the younger Miqo'te's grin turned into a sneer.

Poppy snatched the cookie before anyone could protest. She shoved the entire thing into her mouth at once without breaking eye contact with Alisaie, who glowered in return. As she chewed, Poppy realized it was a ginger cookie. A delicious one at that. No wonder Alisaie wanted it all to herself.

"Twelve above. You're a terror," Alisaie muttered as she leaned back in her chair. She tried to look annoyed, but a loving smile slipped through the cracks of her mask.

With the cookie gone, Poppy licked her lips triumphantly and smiled. "Aye, but I'm your terror," she shot back sweetly with a wink. She remembered very quickly that they weren't alone when Alisaie's brows shot up in surprise.

Y'shtola, who was the smartest among them, ignored what was happening at the other end of the table and opted instead to pour herself a fresh cup of tea. Lyse, who perhaps was't as perceptive as Y'shtola, was clearly enraptured by the whole display. She steepled her fingers atop the table and grinned at the two woman.

"You two are just so sweet," she cooed, very clearly teasing them. "You're making my teeth rot!"

The dagger-sharp gazes of her companions very quickly turned on Lyse, who suddenly wore a panicked look.

"If your teeth are rotting, it's probably all the lemonade," Poppy commented slyly.

"I agree," Alisaie joined in after exchanging a mischievous look with the Warrior. "Is that not your third glass?"

Lyse glanced down at the three empty glasses on the table before looking between the two women in disbelief. "B-but it's so good! Isn't that right, 'Shtola?" Lyse looked over at the Miqo'te beside her, practically begging with her eyes for assistance.

Y'shtola looked up from her tea and simply smiled. "I wouldn't know. You drank it all so quickly that no one else had a chance to try it."

With that, Lyse flopped back in her chair and held her hands up in defeat. "Have mercy, please!"

Another round of laughter erupted from the group. The conversation rolled onward, changing topics from tormenting Lyse to playfully bickering over who had the tastiest drink and which confection was the best. They eventually moved on to exchange amusing stories and before they knew it, another bell and a half had passed. In that time, not another word of primals or wars or fighting was uttered and for a few joyful moments, the Warrior could forget the weight of her title.

Unfortunately, there was still work to be done. Both Lyse and Y'shtola eventually stood from the table to exchange farewells, hugs, and promises that they would all meet again soon. With a final wave, the two of them disappeared into the crowd of the Aftcastle, both returning to their duties clutching small pink bags that held the remains of their feast. The other two were left alone at the table, surrounded by crumbs and empty teacups. Alisaie shifted in her seat as she reached for her coin purse. When Poppy tried to do the same, her hand was smacked for the second time that day.

Surprised, Poppy looked up to see Alisaie's stern look. "I told you this would be my treat," she said, face softening to a smile.

"But we ordered so much," Poppy protested, feeling guilty. She glanced at the two empty spots at the table only to see something glint beneath the rim of both saucers. She nudged the closer one to reveal several coins and let out an amused huff at her discovery. "Looks like our friends left a tip."

"I told them both-" Alisaie cut herself off to sigh and shake her head. "At the very least, allow me to pay for you."

Poppy met Alisaie's determined gaze and knew she would have an easier time convincing a draught chocobo to fly in a snowstorm. "Alright, alright," she relented and removed her hand from her belt. "I s'pose I can't say no to free sweets." She flashed a grin at her dearest, who finally looked content.

The Warrior rested her chin atop her folded hands as she watched Alisaie pull coin after coin from her purse. "Tell me, sweetling," she said and was delighted when the endearment quirked Alisaie's lips into a smile. "How often do you drain the Leveilleur coffers on your sweet tooth?"

The question earned a chuckle. "Often enough for there to be contingency funds in place," she played along, sounding very serious. "Though those funds will rapidly be diminished if I'm to pay for yours as well." She seemed pleased when Poppy let out a hearty laugh at that.

With the bill settled, Alisaie retied the purse to her belt and turned to look at the Warrior. "What of you? Are you running off to do more heroic deeds?" She sounded wry, but there was sadness lurking beneath her words.

Poppy hummed thoughtfully as she looked out at the sea beyond the terrace. There was plenty to be done. No rest for the righteous, as Alisaie had said, but the Warrior found she didn't want to return to her responsibilities just yet.

"The rest of my day is yours. If you'd have it, that is." She looked back at Alisaie and smiled, eyes crinkling with affection. Perhaps it was selfish, she thought, to ignore the problems of the world. When Alisaie's face lit up, Poppy realized she didn't care. A few more bells wouldn't hurt.

"I suppose I could spare some time," Alisaie joked, but was betrayed by the excitement that flickered in her eyes.

As they both stood from the table, Poppy leaned over and pressed a quick peck to Alisaie's cheek. "Thanks for organizing this."

"Of course," Alisaie replied, cheeks flushing slightly from the affectionate gesture. "I'd say we should do it more often, but then our teeth would surely rot."

When they both turned to leave, Poppy laughed and stealthily slipped a few extra coins onto the table. Her compliments to the pastry chef.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my big inspiration for this was the really cute tales from the storm entry "a calm after the storm" which you can read [here](https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/lodestone/special/tales_from_the_storm/sidestory_02/#sidestory_02). i love that ali kept her word about taking everyone out for sweets! it's nice seeing the scions being friends outside of their duties too. 
> 
> i loved having these four interact and writing something a bit more humorous was fun. i was also really craving sweets when i wrote this, if you couldn't tell.


	3. words

The pair soon found themselves outside the walls of the city. They slipped away from the typical hustle and bustle of a Lominsan afternoon past Tempest Gate to the quiet countryside of Lower La Noscea where they could enjoy each other's company in peace. They traveled not ten paces up the La Thagran Eastroad before Poppy's hand found Alisaie's. It felt almost like an instinct to press her palm against the other woman's and weave their fingers together.

Their pace was slow and they spoke mostly of mundane things. There was no talk of liberation or political turmoil, likely to the relief of them both, and a veil of silence soon fell over them. Their words were replaced by footsteps, the rustling of tall grass, and the waves that lapped at the cliffside beneath them. The silence was comforting. That was odd to Poppy, who loved to fill any void of quiet with the sound of her own voice.

Their shoulders brushed together as they walked and Poppy's face felt flushed. That was odd too. She wasn't used to feeling flustered or being shy or her heart beating so fast and her mouth going dry. She marveled at how the woman beside her reduced her to what felt like a pile of mush when they were alone. What surprised her the most was that she enjoyed every aching moment of it.

They walked until they reached Poppy's favorite part of the path where she paused to point at it. "There it is," she said, gesturing to where the road cut directly through a hill to create a pair of holes that looked like eyes. The narrow strip that rose high above the path resembled a bridge made of land that lead directly into the sea. "The view's nice up there on the hill. You can see the coast for malms."

Alisaie smiled at the Warrior before giving her hand a tug and leading her off the path. "Why don't we admire it for a while, then?" 

Poppy chuckled and allowed herself to be pulled along. As she extended her hand to brush it against the tall grass that grew along the side of the road, she noticed the wildflowers that bloomed in clusters up the side of the hill. "Need a break from our walk already, hm?" she teased her companion and paused, letting her hand slip from Alisaie's grasp so she could pick some flowers.

"Hardly," Alisaie shot back. She turned and raised a brow at the Warrior, but didn't bother to ask what she was doing. "Compared to how we traipsed the entirety of the Ruby Sea's coast, this is child's play."

Poppy smiled. It seemed that she wasn't the only one who thought about their far eastern adventure recently.

She turned her attention back to the flowers. She was no botanist, but she knew the names of some of the wild flora that grew along the coast. There was some yarrow that had puffs of tiny white flowers blooming on it like little clouds. She pinched the stem between her nails and twisted to pick it. The yellow ones beside it were either tarweed or sourgrass; the small buds looked similar and she could never remember the difference. She picked those, as well as some of the long grass growing nearby. As for the red flowers...she plucked one and squinted at it for a moment before she chuckled in realization.

"Admiring your namesake?" Alisaie peered at her from the top of the hill where she was already seated comfortably. She smirked at the approaching Warrior who carried an armful of poppies and other wildflowers. "My, you've got an entire garden there. What do you plan to do with those?"

Poppy flopped down in the grass beside Alisaie and spilled the contents of the bouquet across her lap. "I've seen little ones run around Gridania wearing crowns made of flowers. I wanted to try making one," she explained and shrugged, feeling silly suddenly. "Didn't expect to find these though."

She lifted a poppy from the pile and smirked at it. The tiny black seeds atop the stem wore a halo of vivid red petals that danced in the breeze that rose from the sea below. The breeze, however, was a bit too much for the delicate flower and several of the paper thin petals were taken by the gust.

"So damn fragile," Poppy muttered and dropped the disheveled flower back onto her lap.

Alisaie chuckled and when Poppy looked over, she flashed a soft smile that made the Warrior's heart speed up. "How strange for you to be named after something so unlike yourself."

She certainly _felt_ fragile in the moment. Not sure how to reply to the comment, Poppy distracted herself by picking up several flowers and pieces of grass from her pile. She twisted the stems together and wrapped them in the grass to secure them. It looked alright, but when she lifted the flowers to inspect her work, the poppies fell apart instantly and the whole thing unraveled in her hands. 

Poppy sighed as Alisaie let out an amused huff and reached over to take the pile of flowers from her lap. "You're helpless. Allow me." She took a few pieces of the long, thick grass and began to braid them together with impressive speed. She occasionally took some of the yellow and white flowers and weaved them in, creating a thick rope of grass and stems. Poppy was astonished.

"How are you so good at that?" she asked.

Alisaie's lips quirked into satisfied smirk. "Wild roses grew in abundance behind our home in Sharlayan. My mother often brought them in by the armful and taught me how to weave them into crowns. I think she was just trying to distract me from bickering with Alphinaud." Her face softened at the memory as she added another flower to the chain.

Poppy said nothing and simply smiled. She stretched her legs out in front of her and leaned back, burying her fingers in the soft grass and enjoying the breeze that shifted the air around them. She continued to watch as Alisaie deftly pulled the stems together. It seemed effortless when she did it, as if she were just braiding her hair. With the crown formed, she bound the ends together with another piece of grass. She then gently lifted a poppy from the pile and pinched the stem short before tucking it in beside a white puff of yarrow with all the care in the world. The flower miraculously remained intact and Poppy let out an impressed hum.

As Alisaie reached for another poppy, she broke the silence that had formed around them with a question: "May I ask you something?"

Poppy's eyes still lingered on the other woman's hands, almost entranced by the delicate motions. "Of course."

"What am I to you?"

The words hung in the air between them for a moment before the breeze carried them away and snapped Poppy out of her surprised silence. "Oh. I..." she trailed off, unsure how to even begin to answer.

"Ah, forgive me for posing such a question so suddenly," Alisaie apologized, sensing the Warrior's hesitation. "But before you arrived at the cafe earlier, the conversation was rather..." she paused and twisted a piece of grass between her fingers. When Poppy finally looked up at her face, her brows were furrowed with what looked like - surprisingly enough - embarrassment. "To put it plainly, both Lyse and Y'shtola inquired about the nature of our relationship. I answered them truthfully. I've never felt the need for secrecy in these sorts of matters." She spoke with confidence, but when she glanced at Poppy she seemed unsure.

"Those gossipy hens. Is that why they were teasing you?" Poppy couldn't help but laugh and grinned at Alisaie's long-suffering look of confirmation. "You're right, though. We've got nothing to hide," she added.

Alisaie nodded, looking relieved. "That brings me to my question. When they asked, I found myself struggling to find the right words. I was curious to hear your thoughts on the matter."

Poppy felt something akin to shyness crawl beneath her skin and her face grew warm. Endless combinations of words rattled around in her mind, scattering uselessly like the poppy petals had in the breeze as she tried to form a coherent response.

"I guess you could call us sweethearts. But that sounds silly, doesn't it? Lovers is...a bit much, though. I guess I like to think of you as my dearest. Darling could work too. Or even..." she babbled, words spilling nervously from her mouth as she thought of them. She paused to rub the back of her neck as if to physically push the dreaded feeling of being flustered away. "Sorry, I'm not being helpful. I'm just not the best with this sort of thing."

When Alisaie chuckled, Poppy ducked her head with unfamiliar bashfulness at the sound. "Neither am I, clearly," she said and smiled, seeming a bit flustered herself. "Don't fret over it. I suppose what word is used doesn't matter."

They fell silent again as Alisaie's attention returned to the flowers and Poppy gazed out at the sea, lost in thought. It was funny how neither of them was the best with words. They were both women of action, not speech, and that was what drew them together in the first place. The words really didn't matter, did they? Fellow Scion, dearest friend, sweetheart; Alisaie was so much more than a string of titles.

"Well, I love you, so that's what really matters." Poppy spoke absently, continuing her trail of thought out loud. She looked back at the other woman's lap where several more poppies had joined the crown and watched the meticulous motions of her fingers which paused as soon as she spoke. When Poppy looked up, she was met with Alisaie's wide-eyed, astonished gaze. "What's with the face?" she asked bemusedly. When the other woman's apparent shock didn't fade, Poppy sat up, feeling concern jab at her suddenly. "I thought...you knew that, right?"

Alisaie's mouth opened then quickly closed again. When she found her voice a moment later, she averted her gaze from the Warrior before speaking, "Pray forgive my reaction, but things between us have been rather unspoken, have they not?" She paused, looking out at the sea. "I...I suppose I'm just surprised to hear it said out loud." 

Alisaie looked down at the flowers in her lap and smiled. She looked happy and almost fragile in that moment and the sight stole Poppy's breath. Her hand flew to her lips when she finally realized it really was the first time she said the words out loud. Of all feelings, guilt pricked at her like a thorn wedged deep into her side. She wondered why it took her so long to say it. It was plain as day or the nose on her face that she loved the woman beside her. The realization hit her a moment later with all the force of a sword: saying it out loud made it real. 

"Are you happy with this?" Poppy blurted the question out, wringing her hands in her lap. "I'm away a lot and we don't get to spend much time together like this and being with me could be dangerous-" she was silenced when Alisaie reached out and placed a hand on her knee. 

"I'm perfectly content to stand by your side for as long as you would have me, no matter the consequences," she said, speaking with a sort of conviction that put the Warrior's heart at ease. She paused and her face softened to some indescribable emotion before she continued, "And it just so happens that I love you as well." 

The words pierced Poppy's skin like tiny arrows, setting her body alight with what felt like lightening. She stared at the other woman in disbelief as her pulse thundered loudly in her ears. Suddenly, Alisaie's reaction didn't seem so strange.

Her companion chuckled and Poppy realized she must have been gawping like a fool. Alisaie's hands retreated back to her lap and she lifted the finished flower crown that was bursting with bright red poppies, puffs of white yarrow, and several small yellow buds. She moved it towards Poppy, who bowed her head to accept it. 

"'Tis a crown worthy of our Warrior of Light," Alisaie said with much gravity as she placed the flowers on Poppy's head. She leaned back to admire her handiwork, cheeks flushed pink. It fit perfectly between the Miqo'te's ears.

Poppy straightened her back and grinned. She was still reeling, but she managed to pluck a loose flower from the ground.

"And one for you, my lady," she said with all the regality of a noble. She reached out and tucked the poppy behind Alisaie's ear, admiring how the bright red contrasted against her white hair much like the ribbon she wore on her braid. 

"And what will your first decree be, my queen?" The teasing lilt of Alisaie's tone was matched by the smirk that spread across her face. 

"A kiss, if you'd be so kind," Poppy shot back instantly, delighted by their banter. 

Alisaie was already moving closer. Their knees were pressed together and the dwindling ilms between them were filled with warmth. "I would be happy to oblige," she whispered and her lips were on Poppy's a breath later. 

Soft lips were followed by soft hands trailing across her cheeks and the back of her neck. No, not quite soft anymore, the Warrior realized with a thrill of pride. Her love's hands were lightly callused from wielding her sword with great skill and strength. She smiled against her lips, almost bursting at the seams with affection.

Poppy's arms encircled Alisaie's waist. Suddenly, and with much mischief, she tugged and pulled them both backward onto the pillowy grass where they landed side by side, tangled in wildflowers and each other's limbs. Alisaie stared at her with a startled, wide-eyed look for a moment before they both burst out laughing. Poppy propped herself up on her elbow to peer down at Alisaie, who reached up to straighten the flower crown. 

"A bit worse for wear, but still intact," she said tartly, scolding the Warrior for roughing up her creation. 

At that very moment, a large red petal decided to fall from one of the poppies and landed directly on Alisaie's nose, prompting another round of laughter. Poppy brushed the petal aside and beamed down at her dearest when her giggles subsided. Suddenly, words formed on her tongue, tasting as sweet as the pastries they had bells before:

"I love you."

After a pause, Poppy said it again, slowly and quietly as if testing how they felt on her tongue, "I love you."

There was a moment of hesitation from them both that crumpled in an instant when the words were repeated back to her:

"I love you too."

Poppy smiled and said it again and again, making it more real every time she spoke it. The words fell from her lips like petals, landing across Alisaie's face in the form of kisses. Her eyelids, her cheeks, her lips; no part of her was spared. 

When the Warrior finally pulled away and laid back down beside Alisaie, they exchanged a look of shared fragility in the rose colored light of the fast approaching twilight. It was scary, she realized, to expose oneself so wholly. It was scary how simple words could hold such weight. It was scary that life was so stupidly, unfairly fragile and that their happiness could be snuffed out in an instant by a blade or a primal or a warring nation. 

Despite whatever was meant to happen, Poppy was put at ease by her love's smile. She wished she could freeze the moment and carry it with her on the days that were the scariest. Luckily, she had something with her that could do just that. Poppy rolled around and reached into the knapsack that had been tossed haphazardly behind her.

"Your journal?" Alisaie asked as she watched Poppy pull it from her bag, sounding curious as she sat up.

The Warrior flipped to the page containing the reminder for their meeting and plucked a flower from her crown. She gently laid it across the paper. "A keepsake to remember today by," she replied. 

"I hadn't realized you were so sentimental," Alisaie teased, eyeing the journal with lingering curiosity. She seemed pleased that her gift was seeing use. "You actually write in it? Has your penmanship improved at all?"

When Alisaie leaned forward to get a better look, Poppy quickly slammed the journal shut. She wouldn't give her the satisfaction of being right. "None of your business," she said and stuck her tongue out when the other woman glared at her. 

Alisaie rolled her eyes at the childish gesture. "Just let me see. I'm the one who gave it to you, after all." 

She reached for the journal, but Poppy quickly pulled it away and dangled it out of Alisaie's reach. She tried again, looking more annoyed by the second, and fell right into Poppy's trap. The Warrior stole a kiss, relishing in the sound of surprise the other woman made. 

"You really are a terror," Alisaie said between kisses. 

"Your terror," Poppy reminded her sweetly.

"Unfortunately, yes. Mine." 

\- X -

When the Warrior was tucked away in her inn room that night, safe and warm in her cocoon of blankets, she reached for the journal on her bedside table. She opened to the page with the pressed poppy and smiled. Fetching her pen, she recollected the events of the day. For once, she wrote lengthy paragraphs and spared no details. She didn't want to forget any of it. 

Actions were her strength. She likely wouldn't be the Warrior of Light if they weren't. But, she'd realized that words could carry just as much significance.

Poppy wrote in black ink next to vivid red of the flower as neatly as she could manage: 

 _I love her_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> when i was little, my parents and i used to visit some family who had a huge chunk of farmland with a big field of wild poppies. i would try to make flower crowns out of the poppies i picked and would get so frustrated because they were so delicate and the petals fell off so quickly! i think that memory is my biggest inspiration for this last scene (and also where poppy's name comes from).
> 
> oh and if you're curious, the coordinates for the area i described are (27, 22) in lower la noscea. it's one of my favorite spots. but wow this sure ended up sappy huh. i can't help it, i'm such a sucker for cute, soft romance. i hope you enjoyed!


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